A method of controlling movement of a robotic cleaning device over an area to be cleaned. The method includes acquiring a visual representation of the robotic cleaning device on a display of a wireless communication device, identifying the robotic cleaning device in the visual representation, computing a coordinate transform between the visual representation and a robotic cleaning device coordinate system, creating an instruction by receiving user-indicated spatial information on the display or how the robotic cleaning device should move over the area to be cleaned, applying the transform to the spatial information, transforming the spatial information to the robot coordinate system, and sending the instruction to the robotic cleaning device via wireless communication, to cause the robotic cleaning device to move over said area in accordance with the transformed spatial information.

A mobile cleaning robot can include a body, a drive wheel, and a plurality of skids. The drive wheel can be connected to the body and can be engageable with a floor surface of an environment. The drive wheel can be operable to move the mobile cleaning robot about an environment. The skids can be separate skids that can be connected to the body and can be engageable with the floor surface to support, together with the drive wheel, the mobile cleaning robot with respect to the floor surface.

A mobile cleaning robot can include a body, a drive wheel, and a wheel stop. The drive wheel can be connected to the body and can be operable to move the mobile cleaning robot about an environment. The wheel stop can be movable with respect to the body and the drive wheel between a stop position and a release position. The wheel stop can be engageable with the drive wheel in the stop position to limit vertical travel of the drive wheel with respect to the body.

An optical navigation device comprising: a processing circuit; a first light source, configured to emit first light; a cover; at least one second light source, configured to emit second light toward the cover; and an first optical sensor, configured to sense first optical data generated according to the first light and to sense second optical data generated according to the second light on the cover. The processing circuit determines a dirtiness level of the cover based on the second optical data sensed by the first optical sensor. The optical navigation device can further comprise a second optical sensor. Also, an optical navigation device which can avoid the interference of another optical navigation device is also disclosed.

The invention pertains to a system consisting of a first floor treatment apparatus that is exclusively guided manually within an environment by a user and a second floor treatment apparatus that is exclusively operated automatically, wherein the second floor treatment apparatus is designed for orienting and localizing itself within an environment. The first floor treatment apparatus is designed for detecting a movement path of the first floor treatment apparatus during a movement of the first floor treatment apparatus that is manually guided by a user, as well as for transmitting information on the detected movement path to the second floor treatment apparatus by means of wireless communication. The second floor treatment apparatus is designed for receiving the information and for autonomously traveling along the movement path within the environment based on the received information.

A robot cleaner comprising: a cleaner body including a controller, the cleaner body having a dust container accommodation part formed therein; a wheel unit mounted in the cleaner body, the wheel unit of which driving is controlled by the controller; and a dust container detachably coupled to the dust container accommodation part, wherein a first opening and a second opening are disposed at the same height in an inner wall of the dust container accommodation part, wherein the dust container includes: an entrance and an exit, disposed side by side along the circumference of the dust container, the entrance and the exit, respectively communicating with the first opening and the second opening when the dust container is accommodated in the dust container accommodation part; and a flow separating part extending downwardly inclined along the inner circumference of the dust container.

A trolley and method for loading and unloading cleaning robots into a trolley, including for storing, emptying and supplying energy to cleaning robots. The trolley includes an energy supply unit, storage compartments, each storage compartment having a charging contact which is designed to be contacted with a cleaning robot arranged in the corresponding storage compartment to supply the cleaning robot with energy, transport wheels configured to move the trolley over a substrate, a suction system having a foldable suction platform configured to empty one of the cleaning robots arranged on the suction platform, a lift system with a foldable receiving element configured to transport the cleaning robots individually by way of the receiving element in its unfolded state to the storage compartments and away from the storage compartments, and at least one door element configured to close or expose the foldable receiving element and the foldable suction platform.

A method for bringing cleaning robots into and out of a trolley, and cleaning system, in which each cleaning robot is automatically brought into the trolley individually and the cleaning robots are automatically brought out of the trolley in an order depending on the cleaning effort assigned to them or in a sequence specified by a user of the trolley. A cleaning system comprises a trolley and a multiplicity of cleaning robots configured to carry out the method.

A method for emptying cleaning robots and cleaning system, having a dirt collection unit and a suction interface using a trolley, configured to store the plurality of cleaning robots outside their cleaning phase in which they carry out cleaning tasks, and which has a suction system with a foldable suction platform, a suction opening, a dirt container, and a blower. The method includes the steps of unfolding the suction platform of the trolley, if it is folded, so that it is arranged on a substrate on which the trolley stands in an operational set-up position, arranging one of the cleaning robots on the unfolded suction platform, aligning the suction interface to the suction opening, and activating the blower in order to empty the cleaning robot arranged and aligned on the suction platform so that dirt is transported from the dirt collection unit into the dirt container.

The present disclosure provides a charging mount and a vacuum cleaner assembly including the charging mount and a vacuum cleaner. The support member is provided with the curved plate clamped by the claw of the fastening head, achieving a quick fixing of the vacuum cleaner to the charging mount. Once the fastening head is engaged with the curved plate, the first electrical contact can be accurately contact the second electrical contact to ensure a stable electrical connection, resulting in stable charging. The first baseplate is provided with a plurality of securing columns for fixing and mounting spare accessories, resulting in convenience for arrangement. The seating groove and the limiting plate of the second baseplate as well as the limiting block of the first baseplate contribute to secure and limit the position of the brush head portion, resulting a stable placement of the vacuum cleaner on the charging mount.